SOUTH BEND — How about some history?
Never in all the years of Notre Dame football — of college football — have we seen what we’re going to see on a Friday night in December at Notre Dame Stadium. It has been decades since these two teams met (the Irv Smith catch and run!), but that’s not it. It’s been decades more since Notre Dame last played a December home game, but that’s not it either.
For the first time in college football history, we have an actual postseason tournament (March Madness football style) with 12 teams tabbed to chase one national championship. Win Friday and you move on to the quarterfinals; lose and you go home and wonder what might have been.
Here’s to history. Here’s to this matchup.
The following are four players who could have a say on whether their respective teams play another day or put away the pads for the rest of winter.
Insider:Even in CFP, IU still looks like a team with point to prove. Notre Dame provides the chance.
No. 10 INDIANA HOOSIERS (11-1)
DE Mikail Kamara
Five years ago, Kamara sat in the office of a head coach at lower-level FBS school and wanted to commit as a zero-star (seriously) coming out of high school in the Washington, D.C., area. Kamara felt that school fit his needs. He was ready to commit, right there on the spot.
Kamara then listened as the coach kind of/sort of wanted him, but not really. I guess we’ll take you, the coach told Kamara, but we really don’t need you.
The school was James Madison. The head coach was Curt Cignetti.
Cignetti needed Kamara. He needed him for four seasons at JMU. He needed him this season at Indiana, where the 6-1, 265-pound redshirt junior became one of the Big Ten’s best defensive players. He really needs him on Friday.
All Kamara did this season was match can’t-miss NFL first-round draft prospect Abdul Carter of Penn State with a conference-best 10 sacks. He added a team-high 15 tackles for loss for 88 yards. He had a team-high six quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries. He became a Lott Award semifinalist, praised for his speed and agility and creativity.
The zero-star recruit has become a star. A big one.
QB Kurtis Rourke
When it comes to playoff football, you’re often only as good as the guy who makes everything go. In trying weather conditions, on the road, against determined/dominant defenses, if your quarterback can figure it out, you’ve got a chance.
Indiana has a chance because of Rourke, a three-star prospect from Oakville, Ontario who went from no one after four seasons at Ohio University to someone in the Big Ten.
The 6-5, 223-pound Rourke has made the most of his season in Bloomington. He threw for 2,827 yards and 27 TDs. He completed 70.4% of his passes, which would stand as a single-season school record. He earned second team All-Big Ten. He made plays. He stayed poised.
Rourke won’t beat anybody with his feet, but he’s going to put IU playmakers in position to make plays. He’ll give the Hoosiers a chance.
Indiana believes because Rourke believes. At age 24 and someone who got married last February, Rourke has seen and done a lot. Same might be said for what awaits Friday.
No. 7 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (11-1)
Nickel Jordan Clark
Let’s start with an apology to the starting nickel/Arizona State transfer. There were so many players to watch on this defense — defensive tackle Rylie Mills and linebackers Drayk Bowen and Jack Kiser and All-American safety Xavier Watts — it was easy to overlook the 5-10, 182-pound Clark.
Never in 12 weeks was Clark one to watch, but with postseason here, he becomes someone to keep your eye on. Indiana may not test corners Christian Gray or Leonard Moore with its quick passing attack. The kind of routes the Hoosiers run force defensive backs to keep their head on a swivel. The kind of routes that savvy veteran like Clark could help flip a game with a big play.
Clark appeared in all 12 games. He made 25 tackles with three passes defended, a quarterback hurry and an interception. He was solid, if not spectacular. But he was brought here for games like Friday.
In Clark’s bio on fightingirish.com, it simply said “competed for the Irish in the victory” following the win at USC. He must do more in this one. Everyone on that Irish defense feels they have plenty to prove after USC went for 557 yards. That includes Clark. He’s due to do something big.
More:Notre Dame offense starts with the run. IU is best in country at stopping it.
QB Riley Leonard
Did you read everything said about Rourke above? The same holds true for Leonard, the graduate transfer from Duke.
It took time, and it took some hard lessons learned, but Leonard buzzed through the back half of the season like he was born to do this job. This role. This program. He didn’t know all that it entailed when he arrived. Now he does and he’s cool with it.
Leonard started all 12 games. He completed 66% of his passes for 2,092 yards and 15 TDs.
It’s not Leonard’s right arm that makes him watchable. It’s his feet.
Leonard averaged 5.8 yards per carry and 66.1 per game and ran for 721 yards with another 14 scores. Expect Leonard to have a few chances near the goal line, especially if it’s cold and becomes a defensive battle as most postseason games do. That Notre Dame can rely on its run game — and with a QB who can run it — is critical. Leonard’s fine with calling his own number. He might call it plenty.
Want to be remembered around these parts? Start by winning this one.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at [email protected]
